By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: The death toll from a devastating fire that ravaged a bustling shopping plaza in Pakistan’s largest city climbed to 71 on Friday, as rescue workers combed through the last pockets of unstable rubble and officials warned that the final count could rise further once forensic identifications are complete.
The blaze, which erupted late on the night of Jan. 17 at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, tore through the ground-plus-three-story complex, trapping dozens inside and reducing much of the structure to charred ruins. It took firefighters nearly two full days to bring the flames under control, amid reports of inadequate safety measures and rapid spread through the building’s ducts.
The disaster has spotlighted chronic issues in Karachi’s overcrowded commercial districts, where lax enforcement of building codes and aging infrastructure have long fueled such tragedies. Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed confirmed 71 sets of remains recovered so far. Of those, just 16 have been identified, with nine confirmed through DNA testing from a total of 49 samples processed. Many bodies were found in fragments, complicating the work of forensic teams and prolonging anguish for families camped out near hospitals and the site.
“We have processed 71 sets of remains, of which 20 have been identified,” Syed said, highlighting the painstaking nature of the task in a city where deadly fires, though common in markets and factories, rarely reach this scale.
South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso told reporters that the search operation was nearing its end. “The search in the wreckage will be completed today,” he said. At least 77 people had been reported missing. The effort, overseen by the Sindh Building Control Authority, focused on areas rescuers had struggled to access, including the ground floor where the fire is believed to have originated.
Brigadier (retired) Wajid Sibghatullah Mahar, director general of Sindh Rescue 1122, said teams were pushing into the remaining 10 to 15 percent of the building. “There are some concerns that we have not been able to reach the ground floor, where the fire erupted. We hope to find bodies from there,” he said. Mahar defended his agency’s response, pointing out that the fire had escalated to a third-degree inferno by the time rescuers arrived, despite deploying modern equipment. “Either the fire safety system was not present in the building, or it was not activated,” he added. Based on preliminary findings, Mahar said the fire started in a flower shop on the ground floor and spread via ducts, though police are still probing why it intensified so quickly.
In the provincial assembly, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah delivered a detailed briefing on the incident, flanked by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab. Shah announced a sweeping package of relief and accountability measures, vowing to hold those responsible to account while providing aid to shattered families and businesses. The provincial authorities have already announced Rs10 million compensation for each victim’s family. Shah said funds had already been disbursed to the Karachi commissioner for distribution. For the 1,102 shops officially approved by the Sindh Building Control Authority, he pledged Rs500,000 in immediate assistance, extending it to any others with valid documentation. “This is for their sustenance so that they can stand back on their feet, as the rest of the programme can take two to three months,” he explained.
Shah also announced arrangements for temporary shops: 500 in one building and 350 in another, with owners waiving rent for a year. “My effort is to make arrangements for them to get makeshift shops for two years,” he said. Through the Sindh Enterprise Development Fund, the government would cover collateral and interest on loans up to Rs10 million for those affected.
Shah indicated that Gul Plaza would likely be demolished and rebuilt, with shops restored to their original sizes within two years. He ordered an audit of non-compliant buildings across the province, giving them a short window to rectify issues before sealing. Additionally, he directed the law minister to draft legislation mandating insurance for such structures.
On the fire’s timeline, Shah said it began at 10:14 p.m. on Jan. 17 in a ground-floor shop, with the first alert to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation coming from a shop owner’s son. A fire brigade was dispatched at 10:27 p.m. from a station near Civil Hospital, and Rescue 1122 got its call at 10:36 p.m. — timelines verified by CCTV footage. Shah said he had instructed a minister to file a first information report based on available details. “Whoever is responsible for this will be punished,” he said, adding that even government officials, including himself, would face consequences for any negligence.
Traders pegged losses at up to Rs15 billion ($53.6 million), with Tanveer Pasta, president of the Gul Plaza Market Association, telling reporters that major importers had been hit hard. “Just three days before this fire, 31 containers were unloaded,” he said. Relatives of the missing have gathered daily at the site, demanding faster recoveries, as the city grapples with the aftermath of one of its worst fires in years. Deadly blazes remain a persistent threat in Karachi, a metropolis of over 20 million where illegal constructions and weak safety regulations exacerbate risks in packed commercial hubs.
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